Everybody comes back to the places where he or she loved life – Uno siempre vuelve a los lugares donde amó a la vida. 

Date: 13th July, 2022

Section: Bilbao to Portugalete

Region: The Basque Country

Staying: Portugalete

Puente Colgante Boutique Hotel – Private Hotel €90 per night

Recommend, yes ✔️comfy bed, clean, well located, beautiful restaurant for dinner.

Instagram: Link to extra photos and daily caption.

Today:

It started off like any normal day in my Dutch life! I cycled the littlest one to school for his last day of the school year and put a few home fires out. I did leave a lot of unfinished things…but you know I had a bus, a train and a plane to catch.

By the late afternoon I was in the Bilbao airport toilets flipping from school mum to hiking chick. Comfy plane pants to hiking pants, hiking sandals to hiking shoes, from a top knot hairstyle to a low pony (so my cap fits), completing my transformation with the application of a shit ton of sunscreen – sheesh it’s hot here! I jumped into a taxi and headed straight to the Guggenheim Museum (where I left off last October) to start walking. I was back on the camino and feeling ever so smug and proud of myself for how today started and finished. Landing here in this moment ready to hike feels like an achievement.

It’s never nice hiking out of big cities (think soulless industrial sprawl) it’s always best done in the morning when you’re fresh, but this is where I was. And boy was I here 37 degree heat and hiking on and amongst the concrete. Even though it was only 11.5 kms it was probably one of the most difficult hikes I’ve done, so hot and concrete’y! I was so thrilled to make it to Puente Colgante for the 45c boat trip across the river and into the old town of Portugalete.

My hotel was just 100m away from where the boat docked. I didn’t wing it tonight. After my full day I needed a room and my own shower to be waiting. I did not want to risk having to hike on and also it’s nice on day 1 to get myself gently into the flow. Tomorrow I’ll wing it, there seems to be plenty of space in the towns.

The camino is hard hiking for sure but also it’s enjoyable touristing. With the day’s hiking finished it’s time for the after hike camino life. Freshly showered and back in comfy pants, hiking sandals and the top knot (lazy hairdo) reinstated it’s time to venture out and see life happening on the streets. After a brief wander I decided on the €20 three course set menu at the hotel. It was delicious. My favourite dishes included the basque squid with leak and caramelised onion, quinoa with beets and vegetables. The gastronomy of the basque region never disappoints.

It was probably the epitome of my perfect version of self care in this ‘wellness’ inspired era. Hard hiking followed by a a slow meal and time to write in my journal and also share some photos in my digital instagram journal. All the feels really; in my cosy corner of this restaurant, totally in my lane and back on the trail adventuring and sharing it with all of you fellow wanderlusters. What will this stage of the camino bring? No expectations, I am open to it. Aahhh…the AWE of travel.

Highlight:

It has to be this moment of feeling so at peace with this day and where I am. It is rather magical, like I could achieve or be anything. I am in my other world, indulging the part of me that doesn’t require me to be anything for anyone else. I just get to do me. The adventurer. The dreamer.

Ho hum:

It’s good to take a break from things sometimes but never too long if they matter to who you are. It is important to be who you are, to give yourself what you need and to be in your secret world from time to time. That place only you know – where your mind is free to dream, imagine, reflect and plot.